ECP issues directive for vote recount in NA-122

Dawn.com Published October 29, 2014

LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday directed an additional district and sessions court in Lahore to verify votes cast in the NA-122 constituency.

The decision comes against a request filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan whereby he had accused NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of rigging votes in the said constituency.

The ECP had directed Additional Sessions Court Judge Shahida Saeed to begin the verification process from Nov 7 onwards. A commission will inspect all votes cast in the constituency.

Also read: ECP gives nod to ballot review in NA-122

On Sept 17, the ECP had given a nod to review ballot in NA-122. The NA-122 is one of the four constituencies where the PTI had sought a recount and verification of voters’ thumb impressions.

Sadiq had defeated Khan in the 2013 general elections and the PTI challenged the results.

Khan had claimed that during an investigation into the vote count in PP-147 which fell under NA-122, evidences of wrongdoing had been found. It revealed that in six polling stations opened up, 3,267 out of 4,726 votes casted could not be verified.

Also read: Imran wants NA speaker to resign for verification of votes in his constituency

According to the PTI chairman, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had found that CNIC numbers written on 696 vote counterfoils were fake. Besides, 69 per cent of the votes polled in the six polling stations were found to be bogus.

The PTI chief has been seeking resignation of Sadiq till the completion of verification of votes in the constituency by the election tribunal.

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Zahid Khan

Oct 29, 2014 05:11pm

Due to the every day new commissions and the committees the state system already been in turmoil. PTI should finish this circus enough is enough !!!

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Oct 29, 2014 05:11pm

who will ensure that the voting papers havent been tampered uptil now?

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Imran Khan

Oct 29, 2014 05:16pm

The results will go in favor of IK

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JackDomm

Oct 29, 2014 05:26pm

Fingers Crossed!

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Faraz

Oct 29, 2014 05:37pm

If result goes in favour of PTI then again started rigging mantra and if against then election commission is biased.

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Rehan

Oct 29, 2014 06:00pm

The bigger question is why it took more than a year to even start looking in to those allegations ... Why was ECP and govt. delaying this for so long ...

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 29, 2014 06:16pm

There is no doubt in the hearts and minds of neutral, independent, third party and unbiased people both at the domestic and global levels that if a fair, transparent, balanced and clean re-counting is executed in all the constituencies known famously as "35-puncture" episode, Imran Khan's party candidates will win all of them thus shaking and braking the ranks and columns of the ruling party in Islamabad. Shall the so-called establishment in the "land of the pure" will allow that to happen? The answer to the above million dollar interesting and intriguing question is left to the educated, enduing, enlightened and excelling readers and writers of this great DAWN forum.

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NINO

Oct 29, 2014 06:17pm

@Imran Khan Tell a lie so often that you convince yourself that it is the truth. We witnessed another circus this afternoon on the TV. Shah Mahmood like many other PTI parliamentarians do not wish to resign. And if they do, each one should have learnt from who else but the great Hashmi to go to the parliament, stand up and display the courage to resign.

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Junaid

Oct 29, 2014 06:18pm

@Zahid Khan So basically you are saying that as long as state is not in turmoil, all the wrong doings should go unnoticed. It is because of these wrong doings, in justice etc the state is in turmoil. People like you are reason why there is no justice in the country and the whole system is corrupt from top to bottom because you people do not believe in fixing the root cause. You guys are reactive instead of proactive. This so called VIP culture, corruption needs to be eradicated once and for all. It has been freaking 65+ years since Pakistan came into existence and we are still dealing with these issues. People like you are supporting the corruption by not taking any action and ignoring it.

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Tanveer

Oct 29, 2014 06:20pm

shame on ECP for delaying this process for so long. Justice delayed is justice denied. Shame on PLMN. "Go Nawaz Go"

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Talha

Oct 29, 2014 06:51pm

Why did it take more than 1.5 years time for ECP to open up this constituency? I think because during this period they were busy tampering the results. Justice delayed is justice denied!!

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Sultan Ali

Oct 29, 2014 06:55pm

they took one year to clear thier own names ? .... must be some game plan ....

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Amin Ansari

Oct 29, 2014 07:00pm

Mr. Ayaz "Stay Order" Sadiq ran out of stay orders.

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islamabadian

Oct 29, 2014 07:15pm

IK will loose and say it was rigged again until IK become PM every election will be called Rigged by PTI

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Prince mohammed

Oct 29, 2014 07:16pm

it is shame story for ECP took 1.5 years to take this decision absolutely rubbish .. and you will see the big rigging .. everybody knows IK surely win easily from ayaz sadiq but rigging take place to change the result

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haris

Oct 29, 2014 07:17pm

@Rehan Till Aug 14th ECP was hiding behind the Govt. After that they somehow got the courage due to continuous dharna and protests they finally ordered a recount. But then Sadiq and Ameen speaker of NA "Ayaz Sadiq" got the stay order from the court.

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Jawad

Oct 29, 2014 07:42pm

After One and a half years ! Speaker may have to tender his own resignation along with PTI MNAs -- lol.

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Khalid

Oct 29, 2014 07:42pm

In most civilised countries, speaker of the house is someone who operates above the party politics. They are usually people who are respected by the whole house and their unbiased opinions and acts are never questioned. Not because they can not be but because they are considered unbiased. This speaker (and for that matter every member of parliament) is not seen by anyone not under the thumb of the PMLN leadership. How can one accept or believe anything he says?.

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jameel

Oct 29, 2014 07:43pm

finally let the truth be told every pakistani knows no one can beat IK on any seat in Lahore!!!

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Kamran

Oct 29, 2014 07:50pm

Assalamualikum, Here is the irony. When Imran Khan goes to the court they tell him go to ECP or Election tribunal they will deal with the rigging concerns. When Imran goes to the ECP they do nothing. When pressure mounts on ECP through the Dharnas and protest, they decide to count the vote for Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. He then goes to the courts and they give him the stay order from the court. Stay order probably means don't count the vote. Why did court issued Ayaz Sadiq a stay order. Why they did not send Speaker Ayaz Sadiq back to ECP to resolve his issues. The courts are making the entire judicial system a joke and the judges are just trying to save the status Que for which they are also benefiting. May Allah (SWT) change the heart of those people who are in-charge of our Judicial system so that they can make decision based on justice. May Allah (SWT) grant wisdom to these judges so that they can work for the betterment of our beloved country. Aameen. Dear Judges, changes are already here only you guys are not seeing it. It will be wise for you guys to get on board with the people of Pakistan who pay your salaries with their taxes.

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Prince mohammed

Oct 29, 2014 07:50pm

@jameel me and the whole Pakistani totally agree on that

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Prince mohammed

Oct 29, 2014 07:54pm

@Jawad this is what we called politics of 80's but pmln forget, PTI is truley party of Pakistani people voice would you believe that ever in Pakistan history one party give their resignation from NA no way if they do hence how can they will generate the money which they spend on election.

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Danish

Oct 29, 2014 07:58pm

Good they have made 'proper' arrangements to fill bags with proper papers. Who will ensure they are actual ballot papers. Why after 18 months something fishy???

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H Chaudhry

Oct 29, 2014 07:59pm

@Khalid No one cares what you want to believe or not! Speaker is doing his job quite nicely.

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Anon

Oct 29, 2014 08:04pm

Well... that was quick... only a year and several dharnas late!

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Iqbal Khan

Oct 29, 2014 09:33pm

we are fed up of this system. We want IK at first instance, otherwise there is a big vacuum to be filled up from somewhere else. Look at this ECP, what a joke. All institutions have become instruments of status quo junta. What happened to the Saad Rafique constituency when there were bags full of rubbish and that guy speaks so confidently that nothing happened to his winning claims. No moral or legal grounds to make these culprits a lesson for coming generations

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Shakil Khan

Oct 29, 2014 09:36pm

He stopped the verification for a year, then tried another tactic by saying cant trust the judges and asked to change the tribunal! Finally exhausted all options. So in the mean time no one tempered with voting bags! thumb impressions may be far cry, entering valid CNIC on ballot papers are walk in the park from the voting list! Lets see if the truth can come out, highly unlikely though. In reality he could never beat Imran Khan, but Sharifs election anything is possible!

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T bone

Oct 29, 2014 10:49pm

@Rehan nit the governments fault as it cannot influence ECP. Only ECP to blame which was set by PPP.

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Tariq, Lahoe

Oct 30, 2014 01:14am

It's absurd that NS is cling on to power for as long as can by hook or crook despite much evidence of election rigging! Even thieves have code of 'honor' than our leaders'!

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Mariam

Oct 30, 2014 04:07am

Interesting. Can't wait to see the result of this one! Considering the stay orders taken, I'm thinking massive rigging.

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Aimen

Oct 30, 2014 10:00pm

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